To Raise Healthy Children, Reduce Exposure to Toxins

Nowadays, raising healthy children requires more than keeping them safe from germs. It also requires protecting them from toxic chemicals pervading their everyday environment, from phthalates, BPA, organophosphates and PBDE flame retardants to lead and mercury. For tips on how to reduce your children’s risk, read, print and share my latest This Green Life column below. If you find it helpful, subscribe to get the monthly column by email.

5 Responses to To Raise Healthy Children, Reduce Exposure to Toxins

Sheryl, please do update yourself on vaccine ingredients. Some do still have mercury (including that new H1N1 vaccine just made and distributed last year) and vaccines that no longer contain mercury now contain aluminum and in amounts deemed safe for human consumption by the FDA. We are talking several hundred times what is deemed safe in some vaccines, like in the dtap. As you probably know, aluminum is a very serious neurotoxin. There are also hundreds of other neurotoxins in vaccines. You may want to read The Vaccine Book by Sears in order to inform yourself on this issue. It worries me that you would post such a bold, striking recommendation to be vaccinated when you are not fully informed on the issue. People take what you write seriously and I would hope that your recommendations on very important issues are based on facts rather than on personal opinion. There is a place for both, but it is important to be clear on that and to do it in an informed way.

I so agree with you! I did not vaccine my kids because the risk of extreme side effects and weakened immune system. New parents learn about vaccines, and not just from your doctor, do your own research.
Empower yourself with ways you can take care of your child when there is an illness naturally. I use the best essential oils and homeopathy and I know I have the tools at home when I need them. My favorite book right now is: Modern Essentials, A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils

The H1N1 vaccine is not in use this year. But I’m glad you mentioned it because this year’s regular seasonal flu vaccine does come in two versions — one with thimerosal (the mercury-containing compound used in vaccines as a preservative) and one without. Concerned parents should ask their pediatricians for the thimerosal-free flu vaccine.

What a great article and wealth of information with the exception of the information on vaccinations.
I am shocked that vaccinations are encouraged in this article and one is actually told to get your child all the recommended vaccinations.
Not all vaccines are mercury free and many are unnecessary and are administered when a baby is too young.

ABOUT

A green living columnist for environmental organizations in her spare time, Sheryl Eisenberg wrote This Green Life for NRDC from 2004-2014 and previously wrote Greentips for the Union of Concerned Scientists. In her "real" life, she designs websites with her firm Mixit Creative for environmental groups and other non-profits and small businesses.